April 19, 2015

Highlighted Year: Gary Anderson, 1986

Running Back,
San Diego Chargers

Age: 25

5th
season in pro football, 2nd in NFL & with Chargers

College: Arkansas

Height: 6’0”Weight: 190

Prelude:

An
outstanding all-purpose back in college, Anderson received All-Southwestern
Conference honors in 1982 and was chosen in the first round (20th
overall) of the 1983 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers and in the USFL draft
by the New Jersey Generals (fifth overall). The Chargers intended to convert
him into a wide receiver, but Anderson expressed an interest in playing for
Tampa Bay of the new spring league, and his draft rights were accordingly dealt
to the Bandits. He didn’t join the team until halfway through the ’83 season
but had an impact when he did, rushing for 516 yards on 97 carries (5.3 avg.)
and catching 29 passes for 347 yards in eight games. In 1984, Anderson led the
league in rushing touchdowns (19) and touchdowns overall (21, tied with
Herschel Walker) while gaining 1008 yards on 268 carries and catching 66 passes
for 682 more yards. He had
another outstanding season in ‘85, rushing for 1207 yards, catching 72 passes
for 678 yards, and scoring a total of 20 touchdowns. He was named to the
official USFL All-League team and was also an All-USFL selection by The
Sporting News. With the demise of the USFL, Anderson joined the Chargers during
the ’85 NFL season and accumulated 1153 all-purpose yards in 12 games.

1986 Season Summary

Appeared in all
16 games

[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 127

Most
attempts, game – 25 (for 100 yds.) vs. Kansas City 11/2

Yards – 442

Most yards,
game – 100 yards (on 25 carries) vs. Kansas City 11/2

Average gain
– 3.5

TDs – 1

100-yard
rushing games – 1

Pass
Receiving

Receptions – 80
[6, tied with J.T. Smith]

Most
receptions, game – 11 (for 92 yds.) at Kansas City 10/19

Yards – 871

Most yards,
game – 113 (on 7 catches) vs. LA Raiders 11/20

Average gain
– 10.9

TDs – 8 [10,
tied with four others]

100-yard
receiving games – 1

Passing

Attempts – 1

Completions –
1

Yards – 4

TDs – 1

Interceptions
– 0

Kickoff
Returns

Returns – 24

Yards – 482

Most yards,
game – 89 (on 4 ret.) vs. Kansas City 11/2

Average per
return – 20.1

TDs – 0

Longest
return – 35 yards

Punt Returns

Returns – 25[20]

Yards – 227 [18,
tied with Eric Martin]

Most yards,
game – 54 (on 4 ret.) vs. Kansas City 11/2

Average per
return – 9.1 [12]

TDs – 0

Longest
return – 30 yards

All-Purpose
yards – 2022 [2, 1st in AFC]

Scoring

TDs – 9 [17,
tied with seven others]

Points – 54

Awards & Honors:

Pro Bowl

Chargers went
4-12 to finish fifth in the AFC West.

Aftermath:

Anderson had
a lesser year in the strike-interrupted 1987 season while splitting time with
Curtis Adams at halfback, but rushed for 1119 yards in ’88. A contract dispute
led to his sitting out in 1989 and he was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in
’90. While Anderson gained 1110 yards from scrimmage that year despite dealing
with nagging injuries, his production dropped off significantly thereafter as
he was used more as a specialty receiver out of the backfield. He finished up
with Detroit, who obtained him during the ’93 season. Anderson came out of
retirement in 1995 to play for the Memphis Mad Dogs of the CFL, rushing for 250
yards and catching 28 passes in his final pro season. Overall in the USFL,
Anderson rushed for 2731 yards on 641 attempts (4.3 avg.), had another 1707
yards on 167 catches, and scored 45 touchdowns. In the NFL, he gained 3409
yards on the ground, 2999 on 302 pass receptions, and adding in kick returns accumulated
9572 all-purpose yards while scoring 32 TDs.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders (NFC/AFC
since 1970) in the following statistical categories: